The Baillieu Government has refused to guarantee that no insured Victorian property owners will be worse off as a consequence its new property based Fire Services Levy, State Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP said today.
Ms Tierney said that the announcement by the Baillieu Government of its new model to fund Victoria’s fire services has left many questions unanswered.
“Mr Baillieu has refused to reveal what the variable component of the new property based levy will be.
“The Government has also failed to confirm that health care card holders will be entitled to a concession under its new property based fire services levy, as recommended by the Bushfire Royal Commission” Ms Tierney said.
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has claimed that it was not consulted over the Government’s decision to charge property owners through their local council rates.
Local families are already struggling through cost of living pressures and deserve to know what the Government’s levy will cost them, Ms Tierney said.
“Local households need Mr Baillieu to answer one simple question, how much will they have to pay?”